Piano stringing method



Dec. 29, 1970 w. M. LIENERT PIANO STRINGING METHOD Filed Dec. 16, 1968 kll fi/errzerL/VLZ L672 27 21" United States Patent U.S. Cl. 29169.5 6Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of installing piano stringscomprises the provision of an orienting fixture having apertures sizedto receive tuning pins and configured in a pattern simulating a regionof the tuning pi-receiving portion of a piano string plate. A carrier isassembled to the exposed upper ends of the tuning pins of preassembledstring-pin units after the same have been inserted in the orientingfixture, and then the carrier and string-pin units are separated fromthe fixture. Subsequently, the oriented tuning pins are installed in apiano string plate in continuation of their assembly with the carrier.

This invention relates generally to piano manufacture and moreparticularly to the procedures involved in installing strings in a pianostructure.

The traditional method of stringing a piano is strictly a manualoperation involving hand-cutting of all treble strings and hand-windingof each wire coil on its associated tuning pin. The string-pinassemblies have also been installed individually in the piano frame, anoperation that requires many dexterous manipulations and one that tendsto limit or slow up production.

Therefore, an important object of the present invention is to provide amethod of installing piano strings in groups of string-pin assemblies.

A more general object of the invention is to provide new and improvedpiano stringing procedures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a quick and efficientmethod of installing piano strings.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a procedure whichpermits the formation of string-pin assemblies apart from the actualstringing of the piano plate.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become moreapparent from a consideration of the following descriptions.

In order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood,a single embodiment thereof, but to which the application is not to berestricted, is shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical string-pin unit of the typewhich may be used in the practice of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an orienting fixture constructed in compliancewith the present invention and shown with string-pin units insertedtherein;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view taken substantially along the line 33of FIG. 2 and showing assembly of a carrier to the exposed upper endportions of the tuning pins;

FIG. 4 shows installation of the string-pin units in a piano stringplate in continuation of their assembly with the carrier; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing removal of the carrier from theinstalled tuning pins.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, particlarly to FIG. 1, astring-pin unit indicated generally by the reference numeral includes aplain or unwrapped length or section 12 of piano wire. The length ofpiano wire 12 advantageously has a hitch pin loop 14 formed inter-3,550,236 Patented Dec. 29, 1970 mediate its ends by kinking or othersimilar procedure; and the wire in length 12 is selected to be ofsuitable gauge. The opposite ends of length 12 are assembled to tuningpins 16 by means of abbreviated wire coils 18; and in accordance withconventional practice, the ends of the wire penetrate cross bores formedin the tuning pins. In further accord with conventional practice each ofthe tuning pins 16 is fashioned with a lower, finely threaded shank 20and an upper, tool-receiving end portion 22, portion 22 advantageouslytaking square cross-section for facilitating engagement by a wrench orother tool. Fabrication of the basic string-tuning pin assemblies, suchas the assembly 10, may be achieved in various ways, such as for examplethat described in co-pending application Ser. No. 758,902, filed Sept.10, 1968, naming as the inventors Clifford W. Anderson and William A.Wahl.

In compliance with the present invention, a plurality of string-pinunits are oriented in a fixture prior to their assembly in a pianostring plate. Such an orienting fixture is indicated generally by thereference numeral 24 in FIGS. 2 and 3. The orienting fixture is arrangedto receive a suitable number of string-pin units; and conveniently, thefixture is fabricated to receive all of the stringpin units having acommon wire guage. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the fixture 24 is shownconfigurated in accordance with the arrangement of all the string-pinunits which employ No. 13 wire. However, grouping according to wire sizeis only one convenient way of arranging the fixture; and wire sizes maybe combined or divided as is desired. In any event, the orientingfixture, such as fixture 24, is provided with a plurality of apertures26 which are sized to receive the lower shank ends 20 of the tuning pinsin a slightly snug but freely slidable manner. The upper toolreceivingends 22 of the tuning pins are thus exposed above the surface of theorienting fixture. In further accord with the features of the presentinvention, the apertures 26 are configurated in a pattern whichsimulates the corresponding, perforated region of the tuningpin-receiving portion of a piano string plate, each aperture 26corresponding positioning to a pin-receiving bushing in the stringplate.

In order to establish proper alignment of the wire portion of thestring-pin units, the orienting fixture 24 is addi tionally providedwith a suitable number of simulated hitch pins 28. Each simulated hitchpin is aligned with a set of tuning pin apertures 26 in the sameconfiguration that the actual hitch pins of the string plate bearrelative to their associated tuning-pin receiving bushings.

After the orienting fixture 24 has been filled with the appropriatestring-pin units 10, a carrier 30 is assembled to the upper end portions22 of the tuning pins as is shown in FIG. 3, the carrier beingperforated with a pattern of holes corresponding to the pattern ofapertures 26. Furthermore, the carrier is desirably fabricated from aflexible-elastomeric material such as vinyl plastisol sheeting. Theelastomeric properties facilitate snug but detachable assembly of thecarrier to the tuning pins; and the flexibility of the sheeting promotesproper manipulation of the several tuning pins in fitting them to thestring plate. While the string-pin units are being held in properorientation by the fixture 24, it is advantageous that the strings ofthe units be joined with a position-preserving attaching means beforethe units are separated from the fixture; and a folded strip ofadhesive-surfaced tape 31 is usefully employed for this latter purpose.

In accord with the invention, the orienting fixture 24 comprises aprimary, rigid block 32 which is fashioned with the pin-receivingapertures 26, the fixture 24 additionally including a secondary, rigidblock 34 which is swingably attached to the block 32 by means of aflushmounted hinge 36. The blocks 32 and 34 may be supported on a baseplate 38, if desired; and the hinge 36 is preferably mounted in theupper surface of the blocks 32 and 34 immediately underlying the stringportions of the string-pin units. As is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, thesecondary block 34 carries the simulated hitch pins 28 which areangulated generally away from the tuning-pin receiving apertures 26 forsecurity in mounting the stringpin units. As will be recognized, foldingof the orienting fixture at the hinge 36 releases the string portions ofthe units from the simulated hitch pins whereupon the carrier 30 and theassembled string-pin units may be readily lifted from the fixture.

The carrier 30 and the folded piece of tape 31 preserve the severalstring-pin units in the orientation established by the fixture 24 duringsubsequent transportation and handling operations. Accordingly, thestring-pin units may be fabricated at a location remote from the placewhere the actual stringing operation is conducted. Furthermore,string-pin units can be preassembled and stored in ad vance of the needsof the actual stringing operation. Considerable latitude in factoryoperation is thus achieved.

Turning to a consideration of FIGS. 4 and 5, a metal piano string plate40 is shown provided with wooden tuning-pin receiving bushings 42 andintegral hitch pins 44. When installation of the string-pin units is tooccur, a carrier 30 and a selected group of pre-oriented stringpin unitsassembled therein will be placed in position over the string plate 40,the hitch pin loops 14 being hooked over the appropriate hitch pins 44as is suggested in FIG. 4. Continuing with reference to this latterfigure, the tuning pins 1-6 will next be set over the correspondingbushings 42 and inserted lightly therein, the oriented condition of thetuning pins and the flexibility of the carrier 30 facilitating thisoperation. After the tuning pins 16 have been aligned they are insertedshallowly in the bushings 42 in continuation of their assembly withcarrier 30, a light tapping on the upper ends of the tuning pins using amallet, for example, serves to set them firmly so that the carrier 30may be removed by being peeled from the upper ends of the tuning pins inaccordance with the showing of FIG. 5. The tuning pins may then beseated to proper depth and rotated to tighten the strings. Thereafter,the adhesive tape 31 may be removed for further processing of the pianoplate. It will be appreciated that this latter operation may becompleted before the carrier 30 is removed if desired.

From the foregoing descriptions, it will be appreciated that the presentinvention provides an advantageous method of installing piano strings inpre-oriented groups of string-pin assemblies, the method of theinvention being quick, convenient and efficient. It will also beappreciated that the present invention lends considerable flexibility topiano factory operation in that it permits the formation of thestring-pin assemblies in a department apart from the actual stringingoperation.

The drawings and the foregoing descriptions are not intended torepresent the only forms of the invention in regard to the details ofits construction and manner of operation. Changes in form and in theproportion of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalents, arecontemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient; andalthough specific terms have been employed, they are intended in ageneric and descriptive sense only and not for the purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being delineated in the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A method of installing piano strings which comprises the steps of:providing an orienting fixture having a plurality of apertures sized toreceive tuning pins and configurated in a pattern simulating a region ofthe tuning pin-receiving portion of a piano string plate; inserting thetuning pins of a plurality of preassembled string-pin units in saidapertures with the upper, tool-receiving end portions of said tuningpins being exposed above said orienting fixture; assembling a carrier tothe exposed, tool-receiving end portions; separating said carrier andassembled string-pin units from said fixture; installing the tuning pinsof said units in a piano string plate in continuatlon of the assembly ofsaid pins and said carrier; and removing said carrier from said pins.

2. A method of installing piano strings according to claim 1 whereinsaid fixture is provided with a simulated hitch pin aligned with eachset of tuning pin apertures and wherein the strings of said string-pinunits are assembled with said simulated hitch pins and are joined withposition-preserving attaching means before said units are separated fromsaid fixture.

3. A method of installing piano strings according to claim 2 whereinsaid attaching means is adhesive-surfaced tape.

4. A method of installing piano strings according to claim 2 whereinsaid string-pin assemblies have hitch pin loops kinked therein.

5. A method of installing piano strings according to claim 2 whereinsaid fixture is articulated with a hinged joint between said simulatedhitch pins and said tuning pin apertures and wherein said carrier andassembled string-pin units are separated from said fixture by foldingsaid fixture at said joint.

6. A method of installing piano strings according to claim 1 whereinsaid carrier is of flexible, elastomeric material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,399,588 9/1968 Gebbia 84-l973,402,629 9/1968 Gebbia l40-93 LOWELL A. LARSON, Primary Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

